DNA testing gets man off death row after 28 years

54 year old Paul Hildwin, left, sign paperwork with his attorneys associated with the Innocents Project, Trail Attorney Lyann Goudie, middle, and Attorney Marie Parmer, right, during his pretrial at the Hernando County Courthouse in Brooksville on Tuesday morning September 2, 2014. Paul Hildwin was sentenced to death in 1986 for the killing of 42-year-old Vrronzetti Cox, who he testified had picked him up while he was hitchhiking. Hildwin has been on death row for 28 years when the Florida Supreme Court overturned the conviction and sentencing in June when DNA testing revealed that the samples belonged to William Haverty, Cox's boyfriend and also a potential suspect. Hildwin has New lawyers associated with the Innocents Project, Trail Attorney Lyann Goudie and Attorney Marie Parmer. Hildwin waived his right to a speedy trail, which means he will go to trial on Sept. 29.

DEMETRIUS FREEMAN | Times

Paul Hildwin, 54, left, signs paperwork with his attorneys, Lyann Goudie, center, and Marie Parmer, who are associated with the Innocence Project, during his pretrial hearing Tuesday morning at the Hernando County Courthouse in Brooksville. Hildwin was sentenced to death in the 1985 Hernando County killing of 42-year-old Vronzettie Cox, who he testified had picked him up while he was hitchhiking. Hildwin had been on death row for 28 years when the Florida Supreme Court overturned the conviction and sentencing in June after DNA testing revealed that evidence samples belonged to William Haverty, Cox's boyfriend. The date of his retrial had been set for Sept. 29 after Hildwin refused last month to waive his right to a speedy trial. On Tuesday, he reversed his position. His new trial date will be set later.